Envelope sealing and printing device



Aug. 2a, 1928. 1,682,578

J. A. NIPCHILD ENVELOPE SEALING AND PRINTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 10, 19235 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 28, 1928.

J. A. NIPCHILD ENVELOPE SEALING AND PRINTING DEVICE Fi led Feb. 10, 19235 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 28, 1928. I 1,682,578

J. A. NIPCHILD ENVELOPE SEALING AND PRINTING DEVICE Filed Feb 0 1923 5Sheets-Sheet 3 20 f in //7 Q K\ 2 1 m ,L IZZLA/FOR Aug. 28, 1928.1,682,578

J. A. NIPCHILD ENVELOPE SEALING AND fRINTING DEVICE v Filed b, 10, 19235 Sheets-Sheet 4 J29. J] Zn/1442 0.26

Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES JO$EPH A. NIPCHILD, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO;

ENVELOPE SEALING AND PRINTING DEVICE.

Application filed February 10, 1923.

This invention is concerned with machines adapted to act on envelopesone after another to seal the same and if desired to print suit ablematter thereon, the general object be ing the provision of a simple,eflicient envelope sealing and printing device which is adapted toreceive a stack of envelopes and eject them in a sealed condition.

A further object of the present invention is to combine envelope feedingand flap moisteniing mechanisms with an envelope printiug mechanismwhereby the feeding and sealing of the envelopes may be effected and afurther compressive sealing action on the envelope flap may be obtainedwhen printing the return address or other desired subject matter on thefront of the envelope. A further object of the present invention is theprovision. of a novel envelope flap moistening device which will a plymoisture uniformly to the envelope aps irrespective of the rateof speedat which the envelopes are fed to the device.

A still further object is the provision of a. novel envelope feedmechanism which may be incorporated in a device of the characterreferred to Qther objects will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and theessential features will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an envelope sealing andprinting device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan vi cw of thesame; Fig. 3 is a side elevational section taken longitudinally of themachine substantially along the line 33 ofFig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlargedtransverse cross sectional elevation taken along the line 4.4 of Fig. 1;Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through the envelopeprinting end. of the device; Fig. 6 is a sectional eleration taken alongthe line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a fiapinoistening device and showing an envelope approaching a flap spreader;Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the relation of the flap spreader tothe envelope when the guln on the: under side of the envelope is aboutto be moistened; Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view takensubstantially along the line 9 -9 of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is an enlargedfragmentary view taken through the fountain of the gum moistener; Fig.11 is a, cross sectional view taken. substantially along the Serial No.618,208.

line 11-11 of Fig. 9 showing a preferred means for applying moisture tothe gum on an envelope flap; Fig. 12 illustrates the position of themoistening. device when the fountain thereof to be removed forrefilling; ig. 13 illustrates a preferred manner ofremovably attachingthe moistening device to the machine; Fig. 14 is a cross sectional viewtaken substantially along the line 14-14 of Fig. 12; Fig. 15 atransverse sectional elevation taken along the line 1515 of Fig. 5; Fig.16 is a cross sectional plan view taken through the envelope feedingdevice along the line 16-16 of Fig. 4.

In accordance with the objects of my invent-ion I show in Fig. 1 a novelsealing device comprising a frame 20 preferably formed of a singlecasting member arranged to support the various mechanisms embodying. myinvention. An adjustable envelope receptacle. is indicated at 22, anenvelope feeding device disposed in uxtaposition to the receptacle isindicated at 23 and a flap moistener is shown at 24. Printing means maybe incorporated in thedevice at one end thereof as indicated at 25. Themeans for conveying the envelopes from the receptacle to the moistener24 and printing device 25, may comprise an endless friction belt 27passing over end rolls 28 and 29 and arranged to act on the bottom faceof the envelope, and a second endless belt 30 acting on the flap or topside of the envelope after the envelope ha been fed past the moisteningdevice. A preferred means for driving the friction belts 27 and 30 willnow be described, aud the various groups of mechanisms referred to, willbe subsequently described in order.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, I have provided shaft members 32' and 33which carry the bottom belt rollers 28 and 29, the latter members beingdisposed within the frame 20 and beneath a toptable 20 thereof. Thetable 2O has suitable apertures formed there in whereby the rollers 28and 29 may extend therethrough in tangential relation to the top surfacethereof. The endless belt 27 thus passes around the roller 28 and alongthe top surface of the table 20. As shown in. Fig. 3, the belt and tableconstitute a support for a stack of envelopes E when placed in thereceptacle 22. The belt may be driven toward the feed device 23 by a.manually operated crank 35 which turns a shaft member 36, the shaft 36is disposed inice termediate the roller members QS and :29 andconstitute an axle for a large feed roller 38 preferably of the samediameter as the belt rollers 28 and 29 whereby the uppermost portionthereof may also be in tangential relation to the top surface of thetable 20. Disposed on the opposite end of the shaft 36 is a gear member-10 which drives asimilar gear member 42 mounted on the roller shaft 33,through an intermediate gear ll. The weight of an idler roller 26 servesas a belt tightening means.

The top friction belt '30 extends over small rollers 43 and H, theformer being mounted on a shaft member aowhich carries a gear 46 on oneend and in engagementuvith the gear 42 on the bottom roller shaft 33.The shaft 48 which carries the roller 4A is driven by sprocket member 50mountedon the outer end of the shaft member, a chainol and a sprocket52, mounted on the roller shaft member to adjacent its small gear 46.The cooperation of the various rollers and belts in effecting thefeeding, sealing and printing of the envelopes will be hereinafterdescribed.

The envelope receptacle may comprise a side wall preferably formed by anupward extension 20" of the side wall of the frame 20, a laterallyadjustable side member 56 carried by a rod 57 supported by the extensionwall 20" and an upwardly and downwardly movable end bail'le 58 whichcomprises part of the envelope feeding mechanism. f

The envelope feed mechanism comprises the large bottom roller 38mounted'on the 'crank shaft 36, and. a relatively small compressionroller 59 resiliently mounted on the frame to be vertically movable,whereby an upward and downward movement of the roll during the passageof envelopes therebeneath will cause an alternate movement of the bafflemember 58. This mechanism may comprise an upwardly extending slidemember 60 having the lower end thereof in contact with the roll shaft 61and the upper end acting on an adjustable means in engagement with asmall lever member 62. The lattermember is mounted on a rocker shaft 63supported by hearing portions 6i 9 depending from a bracket member (35se cured to the frame extension 20". The adjustable means on the slidemember (32 may comprise a screw member 66 engaging a bump 62 formed onthe rocker lever (52. Small arms 68 depending from the rocker shaft 63engage outwardly extending lug portions 58-formed on the member 58.

The movable member-58 has the lower portion 58 thereof extending towardthe feed roll 59 whereby theenvelopes in the 'stack E adjacent thebottom envelope are progressively urged thereagainst by action of thefriction belt :27 on these envelopes.

As shown in Fig. 16, sliding engagement between the member 58 and thebracket member may be provided by bent inner portions .65 engaging theside edges and the back face of the member 58. The end of the portion58" may be adjusted relative to the belt by manipulating the screwmember (36. The member 58 should be adjusted to a suflicient heightabove the belt portion traveling along the top surface of the table topermit passage of one envelope. When the bottom envelope is progressedto the 0pposed rolls 59 and 38 and is gripped thereby, the full weightof the member 58 is exertcd upon the envelope as it is fed to themoistening device and the bottom edge of the inwardly extending portion58*, thus prevents the feeding or passing of more than one envelope at atime; likewise the member 58 prevents the feeding of a second envelopebefore the first envelope is moved out of contact with the feed roll 59.The spaced-apart relation of the roll 43 and the feed roll 59 is suchthat the roll 43 or belt 30 carried thereby will engage the forward endof the envelope-before the rearward end has passed from beneath the roll59. This distance, accordingly, is less than the length of the smallestcommercial envelopes in use. It will also be noted that the spaced apartrelation of the roll 59 and the member 58 determines the spacing of theenvelopes when being conveyed by the belt.

The rolls 59 and -13 may be maintained in resilient relation to therolls 38 and 29 respectively by fiat spring members 70 disposedexteriorly of the frame '20 and fired thereto by screws 70", see Fig.13, and having means 70" thereof extending upwardly and looping over theends of the shaft members (3i and 45 as shown in Figs. 1 and at, one ofthe loops being omitted on the spring disposed on the left hand side ofthe machine, there being a spring member 71 act ing on a pin member 72in place thereof.

The spreading of the envelope flap and the moi'stening of the gumthereon will now be described. i

Disposed along the upper surface of the bottom friction belt 27 andbetween the rolls 59 and i3, is a llat fountain member 75 in the natureof a hollow arm which comprises the body of the envelope flap openingand moistening device. The member 75 is pivotally mounted. as indicatedat 76 adjacent the right side of the machine, the mounting being suchthat the member 75 ma be readily removed from the machine as illustratedin Fig. 13. This mounting comprises a bracket 77 having upwardly extending arms, formed as indicated at 78, to provide circular openingsfor receiving lugs 79 on the member 75. Upwardly extending slots areformed of such width as to permit the passage of lugs 79 when the flatsides 79 thereof are brought into alignment with the slots by swingingthe moistening device outwardly to its detachable or filling position.The arcuate portions of the lugs engage the circular portions of thebracket openings when the member is swung to operative position.

The interior of the member 75 comprises a water fountain arranged tofeed moisture to bristle members 80, so positioned upon the outerportion thereof as to be exposed on the top and contact with the gum onthe envelope flap when the envelope is moved from the roll 59 to theroll 43 by the belt. The formation of the side edge of the member 75 issuch that the envelope flap becomes raised as the body of the envelopeis guided beneath the member 75. As shown in Figs. 7, 9 and 11, the edgeof the member 75 disposed toward the feed roll, is tapered toapproximate a knife edge as indicarted at 81, there being a downwardlytapered surface 83 and upwardly tapered surface 82 meeting along theedge 81 whereby the forward end a of the envelope will pass beneath themember 75. The bristle supporting end of the member 7 5 is so formedthat the knife edge 81 recedes backwardly toward the bristles 81. Thus,a substantial portion of the envelope will be disposed beneath themember 75 before the flap F thereof is engaged by any portion of thefountain member. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the body of the envelope ispassing beneath the fountain member 75 while the flap is being guidedupwardly by the knife edge 81.

To insure intimate contact between the gum portion of the flap F, andthe wet bristles 80, I provide a spring member 85 which has one end 86thereof bent upwardly to guide that portion of the flap first engagingtherewith downwardly toward the iristles. The spring member 85 also actsto press the gummed surface of the flap into intimate contact with ,themoistened bristles 88. As shown in Fig. 10, a sufficient number ofbristles are provided to obtain a relatively thick moistening pad, thelower portion of the pad being disposed within the fountain member 75below the level of the water 87. The water thus is fed to the uppermostbristles by capillary attraction. The spring member 85 is swingably at--tached to the fountain member 75 by a screw member 85, whence the brush80 may be readily removed.

Various means may be provided to maintain the water at the levelreferred to. I

prefer however, an arrangement such as is fountain member 75. adjacentthe outer end thereof. This container is preferably formed of glass topermit visibility of the liquid contents. A gasket 90 may abut the endof the container and rest on a suitable shoulder formed interiorly ofthe fountain member, thereby preventing leakage of the water.Connnunication is afforded between the interior 9 1 of the portion 89and the in terior 92 of the hollow envelope spreading portion of thefountain member 7 5 by a restricted passageway 93. As shown in F ig- 14,the cross section of this passageway considerably less than the cross.section of either the interior cavity 92 or the interior space'91. Asmall vent 94 permits the ingrcss of air to the cavity 92.

The feeding action of this device is'as follows The bottle .88 may firstbe filled with water and then attached to the member 75; the latterbeing swung outwardly from the conveyor belt and positioned as shown inFig. 12, to prevent the spilling of any of the contents of the bottlewhen being attached. When the member 75 is swung in wardly to operativeposition upon the cow veyor belt 27 the water feeds downwardly throughthe passageway 93 until a partial vacuum is created at the top, closedend of the bottle member 88, thus preventing a further feeding of thewater;

The relation of the passageway 93 to the cavities 92 and 91 is such thatthis feeding action will cease when, the water level up proximates thatillustrated in Fig. 10, the level being slightly above the top of thepassageway 98. As the water in the cavity 92 is consumed the levelthereof comes below the top of the passageway 93 and permits an airbubble to escape from the cavity 92 upwardly to the air pocket in thetop of the bottle member. A few drops of water will thus be permitted toflow from the bottle into the cavity 92. It will be seen that a constantwater level is maintained relativeto the gum moistening bristles 8(7)irrespective of the rate of speed at which the envelopes are fed throughthe ma chine.

I have arranged the printing mechanism in such relation to the feed andmoistening devices that the printing mechanism becomes automaticallyactive when an envelope is fed thereto by the conveyor belts 27 and 30.Any desired character of printing may be affected on the address orbottom side of the envelope, the usual subject matter of the printingbeing in the nature of a return address placed adjacent the upper lefthand corner. The printing operation is such as to be also effective infurther compressing the moistened gum on the flap, thus bringing about amore thorough sealing of that portion of the flap immediately ltlfr overthe surface of the envelope which is being printed.

Such a printing device may be embodied in a variety of mechanisms. Inthe drawings, a preferred form of simple mechanism is shown, which maycomprise a revolving drmn 100 supported on a shaft member 102 mounted ona swingable bracket 101 attached to a supporting frame 104: secured toone end of the main frame of the device. The disposition of the drum isimmediately below the roller 14, and the shaft 102 therefor has its axislying in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the roll 44,whereby the latter member may serve as a platen.

To insure the proper functioning of the belt and roll -14 as a platen, Iprovide adjustable means for resiliently maintaining the roll el-l incontact with the envelope as it passes through the printing mechanisi'u.which may comprise fiat spring members 103 secured to the frame member101 and acting on downwardly extending pin member 105 slidablypositioned in the side walls 104 of the frame. The compressed relationbetween the roll 1 1 and the printing drum 100 .may be varied by theadjustment of the screw member 103 acting on the flat spring member 103.i

The revolving drum 100 is arranged to be intermittently ope ableand maybe of such dimension that the circumference thereof *ill be ofsullicicnt length to support an electroplate or other suitable printingform to print at least one-third of the surface of the envelope. Therevolving movement of the drum 100 is initiated by the action of anenvelope being fed by the rolls 13 and 44., and the belt 30 againstupwardly extending projections comprising a flat member 107 secured tothe roller 100 in such position as to be interposed in the path of themoving envelope. The forward edge of the envelope is thus pressedagainst the members 107 and starts the revolving movement of the rolland the printing surfaces of the form 108 then engage the envelope andthe continued revolving is effected by the pressure of the positivelydriven platen roll 1 t upon the back of the envelope. The rotation ofthe drum is thus continued until all of the printing surfaces of theform 108 have completed contact with the under surface ofthe envelope.

To continue the revolving motion of the drum after the printing has beeneffected and to reposition the members 107 adjacent the rolls 14, Iprovide a resilient means in the form ofa spring member llO-having oneend secured to a swingable support 101 and the other end attached to asmall link 111,

the small link being pivotally connected to aflange 102 of the shaft 102and the pivotal connection having an. eccentric relation to theshaft102. During the first half revolue tion of the drum, 100, the springmember 110 will be stretched and act in opposition to rotation of therevolving of the drum 100 in the manner described. However, as thepivotal center of the member 111 passes the vertical center of the drumshaft, the spring acts upon the drum to continue the revolving movementthereof, thus bringing the members 10? into juxtaposition with theplaten roll 4.1. The revolving operation may be continued by thesucceeding-envelope being fed by the rollers and plate.

The. application of ink to the printing surfaces of the form 108 may beeffected in any suitable manner. A very convenient and compact inkingdevice may comprise an inking roller having a hollow perforated core 11aand an outer felt covering 115, the interior of the roll being ofsulticient di mension to contain a quantity of ink which may begradually fed through the roll. The particular concealed location ofthis inking device as shown in Fig. 15 is preferred to a more exposedposition to prevent contact of the ink roll with the envelopes.

To permit ready access to the inking device. the support 101 ispivotally mounted as shown in Figs. 5, (3 and 15, upon a pin member 110rigid with the frame member 10=t and is arranged to also support theinking roll. The printing drum support 101 may be maintained with thedrum 100 in coo 'ierative relation with the roll 4% by a lock pin 118having the inner pointed end thereof engaging in an opening 119 formedin the will of the bracket member 101. A spring member 120 serves tomaintain the pin 118 in proper engagen'ient with the bracket member. Theupper portion 101 of the bracket 101 is suitably slotted to permitengagement with the ends of the shaft 113 of the printing device. Theends of the shaft 113 are also engaged byv depending portions 122 of anenvelope supporting bracket 123 which is disposed beneath the lowerstretch of the belt 30 and between the end of the main frame .20 and theplaten roll 4 1. The depending portions 122 are provided with slotsextending in a horizontal direction as shown in Fig. 3, whereby anoutward swinging n'ioven'ient of the drum supporting bracket 101 willcarry the printing roll out of engagement therewith. If it is desired touse the device for envelope sealing purposes only, the drum member 101may be swung downwardly to an inoper tive position.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it is to be seen that Ihaveprovided a very compact device for effecting the sealing andprinting of envelopes after the letter content, which theenvclope is tocarry, has been placed therein. The action of the feeding mechanism isdependent solely upon the presence of an envelope between the feedrolls. The thorough and proper moistening of the gum on the flap of theenvelope is effected by a device which is extremely simple whenconsidering the function which it fulfills, and the positive andcontinued movement of the envelopes through the device is assured by thenoved arrangement of the friction belts which feed the envelopes into aprinting mechanism with sufiicient force to effect the intermittentoperation of the printing device. The arrangement of the printing deviceis such that a further compressing of the moistened gum flap isobtained.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of anenvelope receptacle, an endless friction belt associated therewith andarranged to feed an envelope from the bottom of a stack of envelopescontained in the receptacle, said friction belt arranged whereby the topstretch of the belt may contact with the bottom envelope of thereceptacle, a feed roll disposed above the belt and in contact therewithand a battle disposed between the envelope stack and said feed roll, andactuated by vertical movement of the said roll.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of anenvelope receptacle having an end wall thereof movable to block thepassage of an envelope, an endless friction belt comprising the bottomof the re ceptacle and adapted to act upon the bottom envelope of astack positioned in the receptaole, a pair of feed rolls adjacent tosaid movable wall whereby an envelope being moved from the receptacle bythe belt would immediately contact with said rolls, the axis of saidrolls being relatively movable, supporting shafts of the rolls andmechanisin connecting the movable shaft with said movable wall in suchmanner that a downward movement of the wall is effected when the edge ofan envelope is engaged by the said feed rolls.

3. In an envelope sealing device, the combination of an envelopemagazine, a frame having a flat top surface, an endless friction beltarranged to carry envelopes along the top surface of said frame, a feedroll positioned adjacent the envelope receptacle and above said belt andcooperating with said belt and being relatively movable therefrom, andmeans actuated in response to the movement of said feed roll and movablein timed relation with said feed roll, for acting on the stack ofenvelopes positioned in the magazine to prevent the feeding thereof bysaid belt.

4. The combination of an envelope magazine, a frame having a flat topsurface, an endless friction belt associated with the envelopereceptacle in such manner as to act upon the bottom envelope positionedtherein and to carry said envelope along the top surface of said frame,a pair of feed rolls adjacent the envelope receptacle and cooperatingwith said belt in advancing the envelope from the magazine subsequent toa preliminary movement of the envelope from the receptacle, said feedrolls being relatively movable, means acting on a stack of envelopespositioned in the receptacle to prevent the feeding thereof by movementof the belt and actuated upon movement of one of the rolls when engagingthe forward end of the envelope being carried by the belt.

5. A machine of the character described, an envelope receptacle havingan end wall thereof movable to block the passage of an envelope, anendless friction belt comprising the bottom of the receptacle, andadapted to act upon the bottem envelope of a stack positioned in thereceptacle, a pairof feed rolls adjacent to said movable wall whereby anenvelope being moved from the receptacle by rolls,

the belt immediately contacts with said the axes of said rolls beingrelatively movable, supporting shafts for the rolls and mechanismconnecting the movable shaft with said movable wall in such manner thatwhen the edge of an envelope is engaged by the said feed rolls, anupward movement of the roll is effected which tends to force the endwall downwardly.

6. A machine of the character described, the combination of an envelopereceptacle,

a vertically disposed stack member, a feedroll movably disposed adjacentthe receptacle and adapted to be engaged and raised by a fed envelope,connecting mechanism between the feed roll and the stack member andoperative upon the engagement of an envelope with the feed roll to causea choking move ment of envelope stack member to prevent the passage ofmore than one envelope under the feed roll.

7. The combination of an envelope receptacle having a support and amovable wall at an angle thereto, means for moving an envelope from thereceptacle past the end of the movable wall, means moving in proportionto the thickness of the envelope for permitting a corresponding oppositemovement of said wall. 4

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

JOSEPH A. NIPCHILD.

